The June 8, 2024 Night Sky Photography Workshop was the fifth night sky photo workshop of the year. This workshop started at 9:00 pm, which is the latest starting time for our night sky photo workshops during the year. We change the starting time according to when the sun sets. On June 8th the sun set at 9:47 pm and twilight lasted for another 45 minutes. This means it did not get completely dark until 10:30pm – 11:00pm. Thus, for the summer photography workshops, including the June workshop, it is best to start at 9:00 pm.
In the summer, the sun sets late at the tip of the Keweenaw, our latitude is 47.4683° N. During the winter, the sun sets much earlier. For the December 28th workshop the sun will set at 5:08pm. This allows us to start the workshop at 7:00pm right after dinner. These fluctuations in the setting sun are part of the nuances of being in Michigan’s northernmost town.
Tom Oliver taught this workshop. He is the Director, Center for Science and Environmental Outreach at Michigan Tech, and is an avid photographer, Prior to joining Michigan Tech, he worked at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge .
A group of 6 people, all cabin guest, attended the workshop. They were at the Lodge for multiple days of mountain biking, exploring the miles of trails of the Copper Harbor Trail System. After a long day of biking they filled their coffee mugs and sat back to take in the dark sky, photography-focused talk with Tom. Tom covered camera techniques, composition, locations for stargazing, and equipment during the workshop.
The Night Sky Photo Workshops at the Lodge are broken into two segments: an inside presentation and an outside, hands-on portion (we like to emphasize experiential learning in our educational practices). The presentation portion is held in the Class Room while the outside portion is held on the Lodge property, which has been designated as the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park. The sky was not clear the night of the workshop, so Tom did not venture outside with the attendees. Instead, after the formal presentation, Tom opened up the conversation and answered questions about camera settings and aurora viewing.
Our next night sky photo workshop will be held on July 5, 2024.
Chris Guibert: I have a strong passion for all things outdoors and have worked as a tour guide and professional photographer for the last twenty five years. As the Lead of Outdoor Activities at the Mountain Lodge I want make sure you and your family have a great experience while staying and playing. Please feel free to ask me any questions about the trails, regional activities and local secrets.